Embalming table



. (No Model.)

N. T. SHAW.

EMBALMING TABLE.

Patented Jan. 4, 1887.

WI: 7165 S v N, PETERi Phulo-Likhngnphor. Washington. D. C.

UNITED A STATES PATENT OF ICE.

NOAH T. SHAW OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ENTERPRISE MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY. f

EMBALMING-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,476, dated January4, 1887.

Application filed August 11, 1886. Serial No. 210,630. (No model.)

. To all whom it may concern.-

i joining of the table-sections strong and safe,

and to provide forsafely holding thelegs when extended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section ofmy improved table as adjusted for embalming purposes; Fig. 2, a sideview of the table as adjusted for laying out the body. Fig. 3'shows arevoluble head-rest detached. Fig. 4. shows one of the adjustable legsdetached. Figs. 5 and 5 show the flanged hinges for thejoining ofthetablesections. Fig. 6 shows the Clamping device for the revoluble'head'rest, and Fig. 7 shows the table-sections folded and secured bythe same device which fastens the revoluble headrest.

The tablesections a and b are hiuged together,so as to be folded withthe legs and form a cabinet for containing the canopy and embalmin gappliances. These sections are made strong, and preferably of canebottoms. The hinges are plates lapped and joined by strong pintle-rivetsc, and secured to the outer sides of the section-frames so asto abut atthe joining edges of the table-sections. This is the common way ofsecuring the hinge-plates of the table; but the fastening-screws do notafford sufficient strength, and the frames are liable to split at thecorners of their hinged ends, and endanger the falling of the tableunder the weight of the body. To avoid this and make the hinge joiningstrong and dnrable, Iprovide each leaf of the hinge with a top andbottom side flange or projecting plate, d, which extends over theopposite edges of the frames a b at their joining ends, and form bracesto prevent the splitting of the frames at their corners. This is shownin Figs. 5and 5, so that each hinge-leaf forms a metal binder for thecorner of the frame to which it is screwed, and renders it unnecessaryto provide middle supporting-legs for the table when in use. c

Each table-section is provided with legs 6, hinged so as to support eachend of the table when in use, and to be folded within their respectiveframe-sections. The legs are connected together at their hinged ends bya flat cross-bar, f, and they are hinged to the under side of thetable-frames, so as to be extended against supporting-blocks g on theinner sides of said frames. To secure the legs when ex: tended aplate-spring, h, is fastened to the end frame at the joining ends of thetable-sections, and its free end fits into a recess, 'i,.in

the cross-bar f in such a manner that the force of the spring is exertedto place its free end in said recess, and hold the legs when open firmlyagainst their supporting-blocks g. In the folded positions of the legsthey are held by the spring-plates bearing against the flat sides of thecross'bars f, as seen in Fig. 7, and thus the legs are held closed whilefolding the seetious.

As a means for adjusting the table in an in-' clined position,.Iconstruct each leg of two telescoping sections, both sections beingformed of metal tubes, the foot-section sliding within the leg-sectionand having-a movement of about two or three inches. ,Having both thehead and foot legs provided with movable foot-sections gives theadvantage of a comparatively short movement of each foot-section toobtain the proper inclination of the table, and'therefore gives theadvantage of having comparatively short foot-sections and greaterfirmness to the table. The tubing for the legs is driven firmly upon thehinged, wood part e, and the tube for the foot'section I is drivenfirmly upon a core, and the adjustment of the foot-sections within thetubular legs is made by a screw, k, passing through an L-shaped slot, 1,in the legs into the tube of the foot-section.

In adjusting the table all the foot-sections are moved. If to inclinethe table for cmbalming, the foot-sections of the foot-legs are movedfully into the latter, and the foot-seetions of the head-legs are fullyextended, as in Fig. 1, thus dividing the movement between the feet ofthe head and foot legs gives the table an inclination of about sixinches. If to place the table for laying out the body, then the feet ofthe head-legs are fully moved in and the feet of the foot-legs are fullymoved out, making the table horizontal.

The head'rest misasem-i-ring, and is formed upon the crank end or arm nof a stem, 1', which is passed'vertically through an Opening in the endof the frame-section and clamped thereto by a horizontal eyed screw, 8,and clamp-nut t, as seen in Figs. 1 and 6, by which the rest can beraised and lowered as may be required. The crankarmn,carrying thesemiring, is the novelty in this head-rest, because such crank-armadapts the rest to bodies of difierentlengths by turning the crank-armoutward, as in Fig. 1, or inward, as in Fig. 2, the vertical stem beingof cylindrical form to allow it to be turned in the eye 8 of theclamping-screw. In this adjustment the headrest is turned ahalf-revolution upon its stem and clamped against the inner side of thetableframe by screwing the thumb-nut of the screwstem against the outerside of said frame.

\Vhen the table is folded, the head'rest is removed, and the eyed screw8 serves as the means of fastening the folded sections together by apin, a, projecting from the foot end of the foot table-section, inposition to pass into the eye s, in place of the stem of thehead-rest,and be clamped, likethe latter, against the inner side of the head endof the head-section, as seen in Fig. 7. The canopy is set upon the posts(1 in the usual way.

The joining or hinged ends of the framc-sections are preferably formedof cross-bars of L shape in cross-section, and it is in the angle ofeach cross-bar that I secure the bent end c'of the platesprin g h byscrews passing through the bent end of the spring into the vertical partof said bar, while a keeper, h, fastens the straight part of the springto the under side of said bar, as shown in Fig. 1. This constructionallows of the use of a strong plate-spring, relieves thescrew-fastenings of all strain, and gives the desired safety inthesprings as a means for holding the hingcdlegssafely whensupportingthe table, and particularly during the operation of handling the bodyduring the embalming and laying out operations.

Referring to the tubular extensible legs, it will be seen that they areof unequal length, their vertical slots are of equal length, and theirfoot-sections are of equal length, so that when the footsectionsarefully extended said foot-legs will equal in length the head-legs whentheir foot-sections are unextended. This the table may be adjusted indifferent posi tions. It also shows that plate springs and hook-barshave been provided for each hinged table-section, for holding the legsin position when extended and when folded. So far, however, as myknowledge and information extend, the foot and tablelegs of unequallengths, each provided with foot sections of equal lengths, each havingequal adjustment in any position of the table, is new. The provision ofthe L-shaped plate-springs bound to the end bars by keepers to renderthem safe and effective in their function of holding the hinged legswhen extended is also an improvement upon similar devices for the samepurpose, and my claims are limited to such specific matters ofimprovement. v

I claim-- 1 1. The combination, with the hinged frameseetions, of thehinged tubular-legs of unequal lengths, each having a vertical L-slot,Z, of equal length, a telescoping foot-section of equal length, and thestop-pins k, fixed to said footsections, as shown, and for the purposedescribed.

2. The hinged frame-sections provided with hinged legs, and theL-shaped' plate-springs h, having their angle ends secured to thevertical sides of the frame end bars,theirstraight parts fastened bykeepers h to the horizontal part of said end bars, and their free endsbearing upon the cross-bars of the hingedlegs, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I havehereuntosetmy hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses. I

NOAH. T. SHAV.

Vitnesscs:

